Coberley
Encyclopedia
Coberley is a village and civil parish in the Cotswold District
of Gloucestershire
in England
, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Cheltenham
.
The village is in a valley at the confluence of a number of streams that form the River Churn
, a tributary of the River Thames
. In medieval times the village was closer to the main road, near a spring to the east of Coberley Court. A short distance to the east are the sites of the mediaeval and modern villages of Upper Coberley.
s: one about 0.75 miles (1.2 km) west of the parish church and the other about 2 miles (3.2 km) west-northwest of the church. A skeleton was discovered in the later barrow before 1779.
The valley north of Coberley is the site of a Roman villa
complex that has been the source of numerous archaeological finds, including coins, tiles, pottery and mosaics. The site was excavated by Channel 4
's Time Team
in 2007 for an episode that was broadcast on 3 February 2008.
The Church of England parish church
of Saint Giles
had Norman
features until the architect John Middleton
rebuilt it in 1869-72. Middleton retained the Decorated Gothic south chapel, built in 1340 as a chantry
to Saint Mary
. He retained also the Perpendicular Gothic bell tower
.
Dowmans Farm house was built in the 17th century. The Rectory was designed by Richard Pace
and built in 1826. The village school was designed by David Brandon and built in 1857. It is now Coberley Church of England
Primary School.
, Worcestershire
and Devon
, although no definite links have been found, and there are several places in Britain with a similar name. Over time the spelling of the name has mutated and possible variations include Coberley, Coberly, Cubberley, Cubberly, Cobleigh and Cobley.
Cotswold (district)
Cotswold is a local government district in Gloucestershire in England. It is named after the wider Cotswolds region. Its main town is Cirencester....
of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 4 miles (6.4 km) south of Cheltenham
Cheltenham
Cheltenham , also known as Cheltenham Spa, is a large spa town and borough in Gloucestershire, on the edge of the Cotswolds in the South-West region of England. It is the home of the flagship race of British steeplechase horse racing, the Gold Cup, the main event of the Cheltenham Festival held...
.
The village is in a valley at the confluence of a number of streams that form the River Churn
River Churn
The River Churn is one of the Cotswold rivers that feeds into the River Thames catchment. It arises at Seven Springs near Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England and flows south across the Cotswold dip slope, passing through Cirencester and joining the River Thames near Cricklade in Wiltshire...
, a tributary of the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
. In medieval times the village was closer to the main road, near a spring to the east of Coberley Court. A short distance to the east are the sites of the mediaeval and modern villages of Upper Coberley.
History
The parish has two long barrowLong barrow
A long barrow is a prehistoric monument dating to the early Neolithic period. They are rectangular or trapezoidal tumuli or earth mounds traditionally interpreted as collective tombs...
s: one about 0.75 miles (1.2 km) west of the parish church and the other about 2 miles (3.2 km) west-northwest of the church. A skeleton was discovered in the later barrow before 1779.
The valley north of Coberley is the site of a Roman villa
Roman villa
A Roman villa is a villa that was built or lived in during the Roman republic and the Roman Empire. A villa was originally a Roman country house built for the upper class...
complex that has been the source of numerous archaeological finds, including coins, tiles, pottery and mosaics. The site was excavated by Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
's Time Team
Time Team
Time Team is a British television series which has been aired on Channel 4 since 1994. Created by television producer Tim Taylor and presented by actor Tony Robinson, each episode features a team of specialists carrying out an archaeological dig over a period of three days, with Robinson explaining...
in 2007 for an episode that was broadcast on 3 February 2008.
The Church of England parish church
Church of England parish church
A parish church in the Church of England is the church which acts as the religious centre for the people within the smallest and most basic Church of England administrative region, known as a parish.-Parishes in England:...
of Saint Giles
Saint Giles
Saint Giles was a Greek Christian hermit saint from Athens, whose legend is centered in Provence and Septimania. The tomb in the abbey Giles was said to have founded, in St-Gilles-du-Gard, became a place of pilgrimage and a stop on the road that led from Arles to Santiago de Compostela, the...
had Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
features until the architect John Middleton
John Middleton (architect)
John Middleton was an English architect of the 19th century. He was born in York, in August 1820.-Career:Though only 24, in August 1844 Middleton gained his first contract and was asked to design Cleveland Lodge, an impressive mansion situated directly beneath Roseberry Topping...
rebuilt it in 1869-72. Middleton retained the Decorated Gothic south chapel, built in 1340 as a chantry
Chantry
Chantry is the English term for a fund established to pay for a priest to celebrate sung Masses for a specified purpose, generally for the soul of the deceased donor. Chantries were endowed with lands given by donors, the income from which maintained the chantry priest...
to Saint Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
. He retained also the Perpendicular Gothic bell tower
Bell tower
A bell tower is a tower which contains one or more bells, or which is designed to hold bells, even if it has none. In the European tradition, such a tower most commonly serves as part of a church and contains church bells. When attached to a city hall or other civic building, especially in...
.
Dowmans Farm house was built in the 17th century. The Rectory was designed by Richard Pace
Richard Pace (Lechlade)
Richard Pace was a Georgian builder and architect in Lechlade, Gloucestershire, England. He served in the Life Guards 1784-88. Most of his known commissions were houses, in many cases for Church of England clergy. He also restored or refitted a small number of Church of England parish churches. He...
and built in 1826. The village school was designed by David Brandon and built in 1857. It is now Coberley Church of England
Voluntary controlled school
A voluntary controlled school is a state-funded school in England, Wales and Northern Ireland in which a foundation or trust has some formal influence in the running of the school...
Primary School.
Byename/Surname
People have been labelled "de Coberley" or "of Coberley" since 1100, although early uses of the name were probably temporary descriptions rather than as an hereditary surname. It is not until the late 13th century that the name is likely to have been used by one, or several different, families as a surname. Uses of the name seem to have moved away from Coberley in the early 14th century, possibly to places such as BirlinghamBirlingham
Birlingham is a village and civil parish in the Wychavon district of Worcestershire, England, about three miles south of Pershore. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 325...
, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
and Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, although no definite links have been found, and there are several places in Britain with a similar name. Over time the spelling of the name has mutated and possible variations include Coberley, Coberly, Cubberley, Cubberly, Cobleigh and Cobley.
External links
- Location map (Ordnance Survey)
- GENUKI: Coberley, Gloucestershire - UK genealogy page
- Coberly/Cubberley/Cobley/Cobleigh DNA Project